Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. A native of Maryland, he was residing in Galena, Illinois when the Civil War began. He enlisted in the 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, a regiment made up largely of lead miners from the northwestern part of the state, and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Company D on November 20, 1861. After participating in the February 1862 capture of Fort Donalson on the Mississippi River, and at the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, he was promoted to Captain and company commander on June 30, 1862. He led his men during the 1863 operations and siege by Major General Ulysses S. Grant against the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi, where his regiment was on constant contact with the enemy, and sustained a number of casualties, especially on June 25, 1863 when it spearheaded an attack on a fort known as the Third Louisiana Redan. When Vicksburg capitulated on July 4, 1863, John O. Duer and his men were the first Union regiment into the city, and raised the regimental flag over the city's courthouse. Promoted to Major in June 1863, he was further advanced to Lieutenant Colonel in January 1865, and finally Colonel and regimental commander in May 1865. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on July 12, 1865 for "meritorious services" and was honorably mustered out the same day. He returned to Galena, Illinois after the war, but eventually made his way to Monticello, Iowa, where he was involved in banking and mercantile pursuits. He died there in December 1880.
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. A native of Maryland, he was residing in Galena, Illinois when the Civil War began. He enlisted in the 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, a regiment made up largely of lead miners from the northwestern part of the state, and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Company D on November 20, 1861. After participating in the February 1862 capture of Fort Donalson on the Mississippi River, and at the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, he was promoted to Captain and company commander on June 30, 1862. He led his men during the 1863 operations and siege by Major General Ulysses S. Grant against the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg, Mississippi, where his regiment was on constant contact with the enemy, and sustained a number of casualties, especially on June 25, 1863 when it spearheaded an attack on a fort known as the Third Louisiana Redan. When Vicksburg capitulated on July 4, 1863, John O. Duer and his men were the first Union regiment into the city, and raised the regimental flag over the city's courthouse. Promoted to Major in June 1863, he was further advanced to Lieutenant Colonel in January 1865, and finally Colonel and regimental commander in May 1865. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on July 12, 1865 for "meritorious services" and was honorably mustered out the same day. He returned to Galena, Illinois after the war, but eventually made his way to Monticello, Iowa, where he was involved in banking and mercantile pursuits. He died there in December 1880.
Bio by: RPD2
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